People are wanting change. There is no doubt about it, but people are wanting the change to come to them rather than actually starting the change. They are sitting around in an ever changing world full of good and full of bad. Everyone congratulates the good that is done in the world but are constantly bringing up the bad that is done but continue to do nothing about it. Rather than creating a solution and an outcome to the current problem, all we do is hear about it, talk about it, put everyone else’s idea of a solution and an outcome down.

This is the same for education. The current education system is slowly changing but not very much and not making as big of an impact around the world. At Hobsonville Point Secondary School in New Zealand, we are beginning the change rather than waiting for someone to tell us what to do. Us as a school and learners and staff to lead the way and show what education could look like and would look like in the future. It’s not a matter of if, now it’s a matter of when this change is going to come and people have to be ready for that.

When the announcement of New Zealand’s first PPP (Public Private Partnership) came in 2011, there were a lot of debate as to weather the school would be a success or not. All of the news articles that came out in the first few months (and even in the first year) were “Students to be used as guinea pigs in brand new school” and “Students to be used as a test for next step in secondary education/modern day learning”. Yes technically we were used as guinea pigs and yes we are basically a test to see if this practice and this way of learning would ever work. And the answer to that is yes, IT IS WORKING! This is the first phase of modern learning practice in the 21st century and it’s happening right now.

Our Hobsonville Habits are one of the many things at our school that makes us real unique in such a way.

Adventurous: being taught to take risks and take a step out of your comfort zone. Creative: being taught to make something and make it for a reason. Curious: being taught not just to rely on one valuable source but to constantly question learning information and not just sticking to one source. Purposeful: being taught to have a purpose in what you do eg. if your going to make a movie, make it for a cause and have a good purpose for it. Contributive: being taught to give a helping hand when needed and being there to help and support.

Resilient: being taught to keep going through tough times and knowing that everything will work out in the end. Resourceful: being taught to not just stick to using the basics and exploring what else is out there to use. Reflective: being taught to take the time and look back on what has been done and what you have achieved and figure out next steps. Compassionate: being taught to show sympathy and support to others and to people when is needed and how you can help during more tough times. And last but not least, Responsive: being taught to respond appropriately to certain situations and how to deal with things that might not be as easy to deal with as other things.

Every school is unique, there is no doubt about that. But in general, the whole entire aspect of modern day learning is changing and we need to be ready for that. The wheel has only just started rolling.